Lafarge HR boss charged over payments to Syrian jihadists

A former head of human resources for French cement-maker Lafarge has been charged with endangering the lives of the company's Syrian employees in an ongoing investigation into payments to rebel movements, including the Islamic State (IS) armed group.

Sonia Artinian, who was human resources boss at Lafarge from September 2013 and July 2015, was charged with "endangering other people's lives" but not with financing terrorism, as several of her colleagues have been, it was reported at the weekend.

But she has been cited as an "assisted witness" on that question, leaving prosecutors free to charge her at a later date.

Former Lafarge CEO Bruno Lafont and deputy director Christian Herrault, who was responsible for Syria, are among six executives have been charged on both counts.